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CITY PULSE
SMART CITIES, ENVIRONMENT, TECHNOLOGY,
CYBER SECURITY, TRANSPORT AND INNOVATON
Vol. 3 - Summer Edition MAGAZINE
News Bites
Technology Shifting Patterns
3 New Covid Safety and
Tech Gadgets Social Exclusion
- Interview with
Jennifer Terry
Assoc. Director
Amnick, USA
Bill Gates’
How-to Guide
for fixing the
The Future of Jobs Climate Crisis
New Jobs We Can
Expect in Next
20 years
Microsoft Azure Cloud
For Smart and Sustainable Cities
- Interview with Jose Ondiviela
Western Europe Director
Microsoft, Spain
note
Amnick International EDITOR’S
Collaboration Team
Our group is made up of City leaders, Mayors, Welcome to our latest edition of
110 tech companies– including Microsoft, Cisco, City Pulse Magazine
IBM, Universities, etc.
We have come together under this umbrella
to collaborate jointly with cities, businesses,
municipal authorities. Through this arrangement,
we are now meeting 3 times a year to address
a range of city issues we have commonly: John David
CEO and Founder of Amnick Social Enterprise
• Environment johndavid@amnick.com
• Technologies
• Smart Cities
• Economic growth This means, using our International Team we can The focus of our magazine is Smart Cities, The impact of Covid-19 has affected all
• Transportation immediately provide you the following services Environment, Technologies (AI, IoT, Digital), above areas. We need to start to develop
commercially: Innovation, Transportation, Cyber Security. a new normal, readjust our previous
With these amazing resources at our disposal, thinking, forecasts, and expectations.
we now have specialist teams to support your • Strategy Our magazine is primarily a community-based We are now starting to see new
needs in the above areas. • Sustainability magazine, written largely by ordinary people behaviours in travel, work environment,
• Productivity/Performance from across the world and with input from: the way we interact with each other.
• Social Innovation
• Future proofing • Research Institutes This edition also features great interviews
• Technologies (AI, IoT, IIoT, 5G, Blockchain) • Book writers from our International Collaboration leaders
• Commercialisation • Universities including Jennifer Terry, Pam Turton and Jose
• Reduce costs • Industry experts Antonio Ondiviela.
• Efficiencies • Politicians
• City leaders Our International Collaboration Team are made
We specialise in: Technologies (AI, Cyber, IoT, up of city leaders, mayors, tech companies,
Digital Transformation), Education, Housing, In this edition we cover: universities, and businesses globally. And
Health, Transportation, Environment and through this amazing team, we can offer
Smart Cities. • Interviews following services:
• Articles
• News stories • Consultancy
• Features • Training
• Project and Programme Management
We are keen to feature issues, challenges, • We can fix your challenging projects
opportunities, and challenges facing cities, • Investment
communities, businesses, and individuals
globally. In the areas covered in this edition.
SMART CITIES ENVIRONMENT TECHNOLOGY CYBER SECYRITY TRANSPORT INNOVATION
C O N T E N T S
CYBER SECURITY INNOVATION TECHNOLOGY
5 Exploiting the System: 37 The Stanford Innovation Lab 59 No Parking Podcast: Dyslexia,
How We Are Learning From Our - Podcast Review Reading Difficulties, and the
Malware Mistakes 39 Robotic Teachers: Here to help Reoccurring Coincidence of
7 News Bites: Cyber Security not take over Success
9 Podcast Review - The 433 ENVIRONMENT 41 Innovation News SMART CITIES 61 News Bites: Technology TRANSPORTATION
Security Simplified 43 The Future of Jobs 63 Investment: Brain Implants
11 Blockchain Technology: 15 “GCA China”: How it shares 45 Emperor’s Renewable Clothes: 47 Microsoft Azure Cloud for Smart Shift Science Fiction Into 73 Shifting patterns, Safety and
Foreshadowing the impending expertise to adapt to climate and sustainable Cities - Interview Science Fact Social Exclusion - Interview
From plant-based to spider DNA,
change with Jose Antonio Ondiviela with Jennifer Terry
cyber defence? this is the fabric of our future 65 Future Thinkers Podcast
13 The InSecurity Podcast 19 Environmentalist Agenda Hopes 49 Feminist City - Podcast Review Review: Episode 32 - Aric 77 Intelligent Transport Podcast
For Future Prospects - Interview 51 Smart Homes: What's in it Dromi – Smart - Episode 13
With Bob Massey for us? Cities of the Future 79 News Bites: Transportation
21 Emergency on Planet Earth? 53 Smart Cities: Emerging 67 Survival of the Fittest 81 Co-mobility Hubs: Sharing
25 The One Doughnut That's Actually Technologies, Trends and 69 Direct Energy Weapons, is Caring for a Carbon-neutral
Good For Us Innovations Leading Battlefield Science World
29 Bill Gates' How-to Guide for fixing 55 News Bites: Smart Cities into the Next Century 83 Efficient, Safe, Reliable Buses
the Climate Crisis 57 Singapore - The Emergence 71 The Rise of the Human Keep the Doctor Away
31 Smart Cars: Some Heroes Come of a Smart City Microchip
With Four Wheels, Not Capes
33 News: Changes In Energy
Importation And Creation Will
Change Our Generation
ADVERTISEMENT
KEY ICONS
35 Copenhagen Solutions Lab: 76 VU.City
Where Green is Good and News Review Feature 87 Call for Contributions: Corporate Social Responsibility
Solutions are Always Creative Podcast Interview Guest Feature and Covid-19 Pandemic in Global Health Services
89 Adverts
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Y
Exploiting the System:
Thirdly, and most importantly, is the application of Although it protects against a large amount of phishing B
microsegmentation, which is a security feature whereby software, its chief difficulties come from its application E
a cluster of relevant data is separated into files that by users – human error from not applying DMARC to
R
How We Are Learning
require separate authorisation to access (think of it subdomain emails or simple failures to apply DKIM
like one of those decompression chambers in sci-fi measures. The list goes on. Therefore, although it is an
movies). In professional terms, these last two points are additional security device, it is a basic one that requires S
collectively defined as a Software-Defined Perimeter scrutiny.
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From Our Malware Mistakes
(SDP).
Another thing that has been suggested is Domain based C
SDPs have been on the cards for a long time. Indeed, it Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance (or U
was designed 14 years ago by the Defence Information DMARC for short). How this works is that it demands
Systems Agency. It hosts a lot of positives, most notably that emails pass two email authentication checks (SPF R
the fact that access is guaranteed on a userto-user and DKIM). If it doesn’t pass these authentications, then I
Y
ou know what malware is, right? For most of us, it One of them is implementing a “zero trust” system basis, not on a system’s access to a network. Secondly, the email is either quarantined, rejected, or let free. T
manifests as the kind of bad day that starts with in enterprises. This would mean that every device its setup ensures that it is essentially hidden from the
clicking a hyperlink we shouldn’t have. Sometimes that accesses a system is immediately treated as a Internet and so impossible to attack from DDoS or In conclusion, the SolarWind scandal has revealed Y
we have money stolen; in other cases, governments foreign entity and must provide extra verification on Ransomware attacks – part of criminal hacking that many deep flaws in the software that we use on a
have data robbed. top of a password (you may notice this via 2-factor accounted for 45% of all data breaches in 2020. day-to-day basis. Everyone, whether they be a person
authorisation, where a number is texted to your phone or a corporation, is left open to attack due to the
On the 8th of December 2020, the software company after you input your password). inefficiencies of our cyber security systems. If security
SolarWinds was revealed to have been hacked, a is to be promised to us in an increasingly computerised
breach that had occurred as early as September 2019. Secondly, each user is given access to information on world, then we first have to promise to cyber security
Malicious code, or malware, had been put in place a least-privilege basis. Put simply, you work with data that we are who we say we are.
for months, undetected in software updates that had that is on your paygrade.
infiltrated some 18,000 customers – ranging from large
businesses to the US Department of Homeland Security.
5 6
The blowback was astronomical. Nobody knows how
much data was stolen; nobody knows how much money ‘At this point,
could be sold down the line. At this point, no-one knows
how it got into SolarWinds’ systems. The question no-one knows
how it got into
is this: How can we work in a digitalised world when
leading companies are oblivious to the dangerous
waters they swim in? Many answers have been set up,
a large majority of them reactionary – but perhaps the
most revolutionary comes from the oldest source.
SolarWinds’
Greg Touhill saw the writing on the wall for a long time.
systems’
He was the U.S government’s first Chief Information
Security Officer (CISO) and had been pushing for a
massive overhaul of the cyber system. When the breach
was reported, he was not surprised unlike US Cyber
Command – he was ahead of the curve. Now that such
a breach has occurred, his suggestions are now on the
table.
Written by: Angus Harker
Title: Writer, Amnick
Designed by: Clare E Gibson
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News Bites: CYBER SECURITY
23andMe Data Fears After Partnership with Richard Branson Not only has Microsoft addressed concerns that their own NHS Digital, COVID-19 and Cyber Threats English School Children’s Brush with Malware
products such as Microsoft Office were breached as part of
Users of the popular ancestry and DNA testing website the attacks, the company has also called for “unified response The NHS has released online support documents, highlighting The English government’s initiative to provide children
23andMe have expressed concerns over their data’s privacy of defenders across public and private sectors” in order to the rise in cyber security attacks pretending to be the NHS in with laptops for home-schooling during lockdown has hit
after the company went into a public partnership with prevent similar cyber security breaches happening in the relation to Covid-19 vaccines. These documents include how a roadblock. A number of laptops have been found to be
Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Groups. Fears over future. they plan to combat those exploiting the pandemic for their infected with malware that were given out to schools to help
users’ information being accessed by Virgin, sold on to other own malicious gain. children who suffer from the digital divide. How, why and
companies or being breached in a cyber security attack are Myanmar, Cyber Security and Human Rights Violations how many have been affected are questions that have still
worries that are yet to be addressed by the company. Rangers Partner with NordVPN not been addressed by the English government.
There have been growing concerns nationally and
Microsoft Calls For Global Initiative to Deal with Cyber internationally following the Myanmar junta’s proposal of a NordVPN, the private network service provider, is now a
Attacks new cyber security bill. If imposed, the junta will have strict partner for the Scottish team during the 2021-2022 season.
control over its citizens; internet and security details. With joint aims from NordVPN and Rangers to “bring about
Microsoft’s security team have issued a Q&A in relation to the Outside sources have questioned the legitimacy of the bill and more awareness of cyber security and its importance”, the
company’s objectives following the widespread cyber security its implications on the citizens of Myanmar’s human rights. goal is that fans can watch games without worrying about
attacks, often referred to as ‘Solarigate’, last year (2020). how their internet data is used. Written by: Ellen Lamb
Title: Writer, Amnick
Designed by: Jonathan Oke
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Podcast Review
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The 433 Security Simplified R
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he 433 Security Simplified podcast is brought “The practical tip” as Nachreiner puts it, is to read S
to you by Watchguard. Found on their the fine print, be aware of the permissions you are E
Secplicity site, it looks to offer information giving to these pieces of software and save yourself
and solutions to its users in an entertaining, easily from a lot of trouble.
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digestible form, that they can make use of in the U
real world. With a new episode each week these The second part discusses the steps that R
expert white-hat hackers’, the good guys of the “statebacked entities” had taken in their attempts I
hacking world, will help you make the best choices to hack western cyber security organisations.
on your digital journey. Through the use of fake Twitter accounts they were
T
able to hoodwink some of these organisations and Y
The latest episode brought to you by Marc Liberte hack them. Not even the professionals are safe, it
and Corey Nachreiner covers two areas. The first seems.
part covers research from Avast, looking into
malicious Chrome extensions and the nefarious This was a fascinating podcast. While it may become
things they get up to. They discuss the dangers that a little jargon heavy at points, it is presented in a
people expose themselves to by granting certain way that makes it understandable, offering key
permissions to the extensions without actually takeaways for its listeners. I’ll definitely keep an
taking time so see what they are. eye on the permissions that software asks for when
I download something and you should too.
By doing this, the malware can cause all sorts of
9 havoc such as controlling other extensions, forging If you want to delve deeper and get more detail 10
results in google searches, and creating requests then you can find the episode HERE
for personal information. These all happen without
you knowing.
Furthermore, if you are a little bit more tech savvy
and notice some odd things happening, the malware
can now take steps to evade your investigations.
Written by: Kyle Wilson
Title: Writer, Amnick
Designed by: Toby Boyd
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Blockchain services can ensure the protection of
sensitive data by enacting a decentralised form of data
storage. In addition, blockchains can be utilised as a
standard security protocol which will ensure safer
private messaging and manage data security. On the
other hand, for the IoT security blockchains can secure
the patterns of these technologies by making it smarter
as well as enabling a decentralised system which the
hackers can find difficult to crack and take control of.
11 Currently, many countries are focusing on blockchain
12
technologies for conducting different day to day
tasks. For instance, the Philippines and Australia are
2021 started with a remarkable upswing for the considering blockchain for their cloud data management;
cryptocurrency market. The momentum has been drawn with Japan and Malta utilising it for their educational
out after it was revealed that Tesla Inc. bought 1.5 billion certificate management. Moreover, Malaysia is enacting
in bitcoin as well as the company’s Chief Executive Elon a Blockchain City focusing on cryptocurrency and data
Musk’s preoccupation with cryptocurrency technologies. management. It is also being used for medical purposes,
From a historical standpoint, cryptocurrencies which Quite recently, Blockchain obtained a noteworthy Apart from these institutional overviews, recent reports financial applications, supply chain management, and
do not require a particular midway for any transaction approval for its unique feature to provide assurance on proclaim that cyber attackers are more interested in asset management by countries such as the USA, China,
between a sender and the receiver have been information integrity issues. It’s decentralised structure cloud storage hacking since the cloud storage provides Switzerland, South Korea, Brazil, Japan and many more.
controversial for several reasons. which manages the information gathered on the them access to billions of customer data. Seeing that,
blockchain is unchangeable and secured from attacks, the cloud providers (i.e. the organisations delivering The hasty rise of cyber attacks has increased the
For instance, Bitcoin, which is considered to be the crashes etc. has garnered an ubiquitous appraisal that the cloud storage to their customers) only maintain the urgency to eradicate the risks with feasible technological
leading cryptocurrency, has been witnessing rapid assimilates with the ongoing trend amongst the internet security of the cloud platform. Here, the safety of the solutions. In this regard, blockchain attains the primacy
economic bubbles and inconsistency in its market price users to securitise their digital identity. customer data totally depends on the maintenance by to stimulate itself as the forerunner of cyber security.
since its outset. It also has been noted as a medium that the customers themselves. So, human errors seem to be It needs further exploration that seems missing to
provides a safer passage to criminal payouts. During the course of the ongoing lockdown, the issues of the factual reason for data breaching. Thus, blockchain this day since it gets less attention than Bitcoin. With
cyber attacks elevated at a bewildering pace. The recent takes up eminence in order to strike out these human broader exploration, blockchains could generate a safer
Therefore, to this day cryptocurrencies have been key findings by IBM X-Force Threat Intelligence Index errors by providing many-sided features to counter the cyberspace with lasting invulnerability.
a complex issue that seems to need more time to postulates that the most significant type of cyber threat, cyber threats.
obtain acknowledgement from all sections. However, approximately 23% in the year 2020, were commenced
Blockchain Technology which is arguably the pathfinder by ransomware attacks. The report also states that 35% There are many aspects of cyberspace where blockchains
of the virtual transaction processes has always remained of the initial procedure of hacking was through scan and can be utilised to prevent any unanticipated threats. Its
unnoticed and a subordinate issue next to Bitcoins. exploit arrangement. Moreover, Europe is considered to decentralised system enables it to offer safety on the
be the worst victim of cyber attacks in 2020. DNS and DDOs platforms which can guarantee safer
browsing. Written by: Mashrik Farhan Zaman
Title: Writer, Amnick
Designed by: Lena Privalenko
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nSecurity is a podcast run by Matt Stephenson, Bill subsequently expresses individuality by
a host who has spent the past decade running referring to the history of occurrences like
the broadcast team at Blackberry (previously GameStop, such as Jonathan Lebed who used
Cylance). This podcast is intriguing by the topics Yahoo! Finance boards to influence stocks – much
it covers, as Matt himself specialises in the data like Redditors used rocket emojis and phrases like
protection part of cyber security, yet is not above “To the Moon!” to increase demand. Matt brings up
delving into broader topics. For example, his recent the tulip crisis in the 17th century to accentuate this
episode, “Bill Hunter: Hacking the Stock Market repetition through history; this is not the first time,
with Emojis and Catch Phrases” takes on a theme nor will it be the last.
less to do with cyber security and more with the
online framework of the stock market – and how it Why does this happen so often? Bill explains:
can be broken. “People want to believe it this time – and because
they have more disposable income, they are more
Matt’s discussion with Bill uses a mix of humour and willing to believe than ever before”.
pop culture references to keep the tone light and
accessible. However, Matt’s ability to suddenly tone The podcast is informative without being technical,
down his approach flows successfully by linking and informal without being tedious. A must-listen
them to the broader point of the episode. for any occasion.
For example, this podcast centres on the GameStop
To listen to the Podcast, please click HERE
event that saw Redditors inflate the stock price
of GameStop by artificial interest. By referring to
movies like Margin Call and the Big Short, Matt
can discuss with Bill the intricacies of the situation. Written by: Angus Harker
Written by: Angus Harker
Bill dismisses the claim that the event marks the Title:Designed
Writer, by:
Amnick
Alina Sazonova
‘democratisation of Wall Street’ and instead uses Designed by: Alina Sazonova
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“GCA China”: How it Shares Expertise to Adapt to N
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Climate Change. As articulated by Patrick V. Verkooijen, CEO of I
the GCA: “They [China] have recognised that R
while mitigation alone is not enough, the costs of O
adaptation are less than the costs of doing business N
as usual.”
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On 6th November 2019, in Beijing, GCA China E
FEATURING
convened an expert consultation, the first in an N
expected series of workshops and applied research T
initiatives, to share international advances for
supporting an update of China’s adaptation strategy
– for the water sector on that occasion.
Chinese experts from leading hydrologic and
engineering research institutes joined with
international experts with the aim of exchanging
knowledge on state-of-the-art water systems
resilience planning.
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n recent years, China has become the victim of
frequent extreme weather events. Torn by floods,
burned by heat waves, starved by droughts,
smothered by dust storms, the changing climate is
causing great harm to its nation’s health - and by
extension, society.
The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) is the Global
Commission on Adaptation’s managing partner.
The Commission was launched in The Hague on
16th October 2018 by the 8th UN Secretary General
Ban Ki-moon with the support of 23 convening
countries – including China – and has the mandate
to encourage the development of measures to
combat the effects of climate change (adaptation)
by the international community via elevating the
political visibility of this necessity and focusing on
concrete solutions.
In contrast, the GCA engages through an evolving
network of offices in: Innovative solutions to
drive adaptation at scale; high-level policy
development; new research contributions;
advocacy; communications; and to work with
its partners to deliver action on the ground.
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China gets inspiration from the The CWRA is a five-step approach: N
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global expertise
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1. Understanding the system – focus is on: R
Who the stakeholders and what their features O
The Room for the River Programme – Started in 2007
and interdependencies are; what the relevant
by the Dutch Government, this consists of over 30 N
infrastructure is.
projects. The main programme features: Managing
higher water levels in the rivers by lowering the
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2. Assessing resilience – it foresees working out E
levels of flood plains and restoring the natural ones
how current strengths can be built on and N
in places where it is least harmful; relocating levees
weaknesses overcome.
further inland; increasing the depth of side channels; T
and constructing flood bypasses.
3. Developing an action plan that strengthens a
city’s water resilience, anticipating benefits and
The World Bank’s Resilience initiatives – Among
costs, then prioritising key projects.
the works financed in various countries, consisting
of community capacity building and hydraulic
4. Implementing the action plan, monitoring
engineering works, the Water Conservation Project
progress as the overall intervention goes.
II in China, tackling water scarcity issues in the
provinces of Hebei, Shanxi, and Ningxia, can be
5. Evaluating, learning and adapting, based on
cited. To cut down net water consumption, the
assessing the results, and how the stakeholders are
project reduced water withdrawal for irrigated
adapting.
agriculture in Ningxia and Shanxi Provinces, and
groundwater overdraft in Hebei Province. New or
17 improved irrigation and drainage services reached 18
594,200 beneficiaries. What expertise China can make
available?
City Water Resilience Approach and
the “Sponge Cities” programme The Loess plateau, to quote Anthony Mills: “Its
rehabilitation is recognised as one of the largest
and most successful erosion-control and adaptation
initiatives in the world. Grain and fruit production
The Chinese government started this programme in
have increased considerably. Sediment loss into the
2014 to address the problem of flooding in urban
Yellow River has been reduced by tens of millions of
areas, for enabling cities to soak up and reuse 70%
tonnes a year.” This shows very clearly the success
of the rainwater. This is achieved through rainwater
of China’s policy of absorbing expert advice from
harvesting, obtained by building permeable roads
around the world and implementing it on a huge
and “green and blue infrastructures” such as low
scale.
carbon buildings, rooftop gardens, wetlands, ponds,
lakes and marshy depressions called “swales”.
Ecological conservation red line, this Chinese
initiative coupled with incentives for both public and
The “Sponge Cities” model – in which China is the
private actors, aims to protect rare and endangered
leading country – is based on global advances such
species and their habitats in more than one quarter
as the City Water Resilience Approach (CWRA),
of the Chinese mainland. Written by: Federico Lovo
developed by the engineering firm Arup and the Written by: Federico Lovo
Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) to Designed by:Writer,
Title: Tarek ElSabagh
Amnick
“help cities improve the way they plan, manage and Designed by: Tarek ElSabagh
maintain their water systems”.“
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INTERVIEW
Woodham Fen N
is a site of special V
scientific interest and I
Essex County Council R
manages Marsh O
Farm Country Park N
and actively employs M
environmentally E
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friendly policies.
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Since 2012, an agreement has been made to protect the He wants to reassure the public that funds will be spent
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Environmentalist Agenda original landscape of environmental areas, involving the
County Council’s Country Parks and council’s wooded
estates. The policy’s intention is to provide management
of up to 32 sites of environmental areas, estimated to
appropriately in relation to environmental policy and
investment. He emphasised the money would be spent
towards green spaces in the north of the town, which
he seems to be focused on. Regarding businesses
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Hopes For Future Prospects include 300 hectares (units per area) for as much as up
to 5 years.
The Mayor shed light on the fact that the council is not
and investment; it would be spent on employment
opportunities.
He states that Chelmsford City Council has initiated
Shifting focus from the general to the minutiae, City Pulse seeking to invest in companies, but rather to establish a climate change emergency, and a group has been
secure relationships with countryside home-owners in formed to deal with carbon emissions due to it being a
interviews Chelmsford mayor Bob Massey regarding order to create homes that are carbon neutral, have gas crucial part of the national, and international, situation.
environmentalist hopes and developments in the town of free heating, electric car charging points and access to
recreational facilities. The development will start within Overall, Mr Massey is determined to invest in producing
South Woodham Ferrers. the next 12 months and take 5 to 10 years. more homes that are environmentally friendly, as well
as managing Marsh Farm to create policies that maintain
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ne established policy is to involve various My establishing question to the mayor was if any bylaws Mr Massey’s policies seem to bind together environmental the local environment, and build facilities for older
councils throughout Essex who will prioritise the were to be drawn to create a more environmentally issues with local, generational ones. My next question residents.
protection of 1600 wildlife sites. While regarding friendly environment in the surrounding community. was asking what he would do if he had received a
many of the sites that are owned privately, there may “We haven’t introduced any local bylaws as such, but sudden £100,000 increase in funds. He responded: “I This will provide the public with some reassurance that
be no direct legal protection, although many of the Woodham Fen is a site of special scientific interest and would contribute towards community facilities in an the best decisions are being made for environmental
sites are recognised by the National Planning Policy Essex County Council manages Marsh Farm Country attempt to benefit residents - in particular, the rapidly prosperity and the health of the public - and what is
Framework (NPPF). This provides protection from being Park and actively employs environmentally friendly ageing population which has largely increased between more, that neither one can be sacrificed for the other.
construction works, or just being directly removed. policies.” 1970-90.”
Interviewer: Harley Nieslony
Title: Writer, Amnick
Designed by: Katie PeatE
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GUEST FEATURE M
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ver the past year or so, we have been hearing This is an alliance bill that has been written by N
more and more about the ‘Climate and Ecological scientists, lawyers and activists; it is gathering support T
Emergency’. On 1 May 2019, the UK parliament from a broad range of campaign groups, businesses,
became the world’s first national Parliament to declare charities and individuals. The bill has the potential to
a climate and ecological emergency. Earlier, the Welsh become the most significant move forward since the
Parliament and the Scottish First Minister had joined Climate Change Act 2008.”
90 councils around the country to declare a climate
emergency.
Universities and colleges around the globe have Is our situation actually catastrophic?
been declaring climate emergencies as well. Over
7,000 further and higher education institutians have
come together for the first time to declare a climate In a nutshell, the answer is YES - emphatically!
emergency. In an open letter, the group commits to
undertake a three-point plan to address the crisis The figure opposite illustrates the magnitude of the
21 through work with students: challenge. In 2017, Christiana Figueres and a number 22
of eminent scientists warned that we have ‘three years The problem arises because organisations and 3. Reduce CO2 emissions by 55% by 2030, reach net
Committing to going cartion-neutral by 2030, or to safeguard our climate’. Not only do we have to scientific reports tend to report on emissions while zero 2033, and stay at zero.
2050 at the very latest. bend the emissions curve down, but we must also ignoring the need for Carbon Capture and Storage
draw down vast quantities of CO2 that has already (CCS) and Carbon Capture Utilisation (CCU). For We do not have a coherent plan to achieve this. A key
Mobilising more resources for action-oriented (and is still being) emitted. example, a report published in September 2020 by point is that the general public are largely unaware of
climate change research and skills creation. Science Based Targets (a group that includes the the scale of the challenges we face, and of the extent of
Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), the United Nations the changes to lifestyle· that we must adopt.
Increasing the delivery of environmental and
sustainability education across curriculums,
But the UK Government is working to Global Compact, World Resources Institute (WRI) and
the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), and one of the
campuses, and community outreach programmes. bring all greenhouse gas emissions to We Mean Business Coalition commitments) states in
net zero by 2050, so surely there isn’t the executive summary that: Finding out more about the Climate
Organised by the EUAC, The Alliance for Sustainability
Leadership in Education, US-based HE climate action a problem? “[IPCC] confirmed that in order to limit global warming and Ecological Emergency
organisation Second Nature, and the UN Environment’s to 1.5°C, the world needs to halve CO2 emissions by
Youth and Action Allliance. The letter has been signed by around 2030 and reach net-zero CO2 emissions by
universities from six continents, and was presented to Wrong! mid-century.” We have an Emergency on Planet Earth, an
ministers meeting in New York at the Higher Education emergency that is affecting many already and one
Sustainability Initiative last year. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Emissions are of course important, but they are only a that WILL impact those of us in the Global North.
(IPCC), widely seen as the leading authority on the part of the story. Any notion that we can work towards One of the UK’s leading science communicators, Dr
The UK Government announced it will legislate for Net climate crisis, notes in its 2018 report: “All pathways our net zero 2050 target and do little about the carbon Emily Grossman, has just written a free, online book
Zero carbon emissions by 2050 by amending the UK’s that limit global warming to 1.5°C with limited or no already emitted is a mistake. There are arguabty three entitled “Emergency on Planet Earth”.
Climate Change Act. On the 12 August 2020, a new group overshoot project the use of carbon dioxide removal possible scenarios for achieving 1.5°C:
launched the campaign for the Climate and Ecological (CDR) on the order of 100-1000 GtCO2 over the 21st The book can be accessed via the Features page at
Emergency (OEE) bill. century”. 1. Reduce CO2 emissions by -50% by 2030, reach net Scientists Warning, and you can watch my interview
zero by 2050, AND REMOVE ~10-100 GtCO2 before 2100. with Emily Grossman HERE.
To quote the website: “This is a Private Members’ Bill, Let’s just consider that for a moment. All pathways
and taking it through parliament will be a hard-fought require colossal amounts of CO2 removal, if we are to 2. Reduce CO2 emissions by 80% by 2030, reach net
process but it has been done before with major climate keep within the guardrail of 1.5°C warming. And we are zero 2050, and stay at zero.
legislation. not on track to achieve this. We are not even close.E
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The book begins boldly with the following message: Last year she was chosen as spokesperson for Finding out what I needed to know from each different M
“The science is clear. We are facing an unprecedented The Daily Mirror’s Climate Issue (the first ever paper field in order to get a complete and up to date E
global emergency. We must act now.” It then goes to produce an entire issue on the subject), spoke picture felt like an almost impossible task, but
on to answer every question you could have, from at The Guardian Live’s first ever panel event on fortunately I was joined by an expert team of volunteer
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how we can be sure that humans are causing climate Climate Change, interviewed Sadiq Khan for Time Out scientists and we brought together information from T
change, to how it is already affecting us right now, magazine challenging him on London’s emissions, every relevant field. Sometimes a single sentence
to what might happen in the future depending on co-wrote and presented a Radio 4 documentary crossed many different disciplines and the review
what action we take. The book also addresses the on James Hansen - the father of climate change process took many, many months - but I can now put
arguments made by climate sceptics and looks at awareness - and co-founded Scientists for Extinction my hand on my heart and say that this is a book you
how global governments are responding to the crisis, Rebellion (now XR Scientists). Yet, according to Dr can really trust to tell you the truth.”
continually returning to its core truth that: “Humanity is Grossman, this still wasn’t enough because when
facing a crisis unprecedented in its history... This crisis people told her they wanted to find out more about
has been caused by human activities and we have to stop what’s going on our planet, she couldn’t point them Are Governments doing enough? Safeguard and
making it worse or we will face catastrophe that we towards an easy-to-read resource that told them
protect democracy.
cannot think our way out of, invent our way out of everything they needed to know, all in one place.
Design climate policies
or buy our way out of. In one way or another, it will As the scale and severity of the crisis becomes more
that protect workers and
affect every one of us and everything we love.” Dr Grossman added: “It’s not really surprising that apparent, more and more organisations and individuals
the most vulnerable and reduce
a simple guide like this didn’t already exist, as the are calling on governments to take proportionate
all forms of inequality: economic, racial
23 The launch of Emergency on Planet Earth is far from changes that are happening to our climate impact action, and to do so with urgency. Recently, Greta
and gender.
24
being Dr Grossman’s only work towards informing the almost everything under the Sun, from changes to our Thunberg and Fridays4Future called on global leaders
Treat the climate and ecological emergency like an
public about the issues our planet faces. weather to melting sea ice to wildlife loss to declining to Face the Climate Emergency.
emergency.
crop yields to increased spread of diseases.
Informed by science, the letter calls for the
following action:
We have all the resources we need to deal with
this. There is nothing magical about the concept of
Effective immediately, halt all investments in reducing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. There
fossil fuel exploration and extraction, immediately is nothing magical about the greenhouse effect. The
end all fossil fuel subsidies and immediately and science is accepted and understood. We know exactly
completely divest from fossil fuels. how to deal with it. We just don’t have the political
EU member states must advocate to make ecocide or economic will to do this. And a large part of the
an international crime at the International Criminal problem is that those of us contributing the most to
Court. the problem – those of us consuming the most – are
Include total emissions in all figures and targets, either unaware of our contribution to this crisis, in
including consumption index, international aviation denial of the crisis, or unwilling to take the necessary
and shipping. action to address it.
Starting today – establish annual, binding carbon
budgets based on the current best available As American novelist and playwright James Baldwin
science and the IPCC’s budget which gives us a said: “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but
66% chance of limiting the global temperature rise nothing can be changed until it is faced.”
to below 1.5°C. They need to include the global
aspect of equity, tipping points and feedback loops
and shouldn’t depend on assumptions of possible
future negative emissions technologies.
Safeguard and protect democracy.
Written by: Dr Alison Green
Design climate policies that protect workers and Title: Executive Director, Scientists Warning
the most vulnerable and reduce all forms of Designed by: Charlotte Wilson
inequality: economic, racial and gender.E
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The One Doughnet That's
Interlay the foundations of a completely new economy; Economies require a certain amount of economic
an economy that lives within the planet’s natural limits, and social/political development to ensure citizens V
emphasises human well-being and all life support live a good and healthy life. The model encourages I
FEATURING systems”. - George Monbiot countries to pursue development paths that equally R
Actually Good For Us!
respect economic productivity, social wellbeing and
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or cities who want to thrive in the 21st century, environmental protection. O
there needs to be a rewrite of the rules! Reforming N
the political-economic agenda, at both the local M
and national level, has never been more important The
21st century has begun with repeated global shocks; a E
boomand-bust cycle, or just a bust-and-bust? N
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From the 2008 global financial crisis accompanied
with rocketing food prices, to the existential climate
meltdown and more recently the COVID-19 pandemic.
These shocks have exacerbated global inequalities,
both north and south - of race, of gender, of wealth
and of power. If one conclusion is to be drawn, it is the
deep interconnectedness of people and the rest of the
living world; and that these crises are a result of man-
made systems and human activity. Revisioning how we
measure progress and strive for development needed
to be amended, to address the growing needs of the
21st century!
Doughnut economics is a framework inspired by the
25 UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Developed by Dr
26
Kate Raworth, an economist, ecologist, social activist,
and altogether - a humanitarian who has encompassed
all these disciplines. The framework is an intuitive
rethink of how we measure development and address
inequality - a model that allows us, humanity, to thrive
whilst saving the planet.
The inherent flaws within the traditional metrics
for development - economic growth, have become
unapologetically highlighted since the late 20th
century. The exacerbation of social and environmental
issues, such as climate change and famine on both a
global and national scale, demonstrates the blatant.
Failures of policymakers pursuing growth at all costs.
Proving “trickle-down economics” is not all what it was
promised to be. As humanity becomes more value-
driven, a desperate plea for the adoption of a new
political-economic framework, that addresses the social
and environmental remit, may be on the horizon for
many cities and countries across the world.
The Doughnut model measures not how fast or
aggressive economic growth, but rather how well
it has been created and if the benefits are shared
equally across society. Pursuing unlimited growth is
unsustainable and will eventually lead to burnout.Envisioning an ‘original-glazed Krispy Kreme doughnut’, The greater cause for concern is the efficient, socially- Post-COVID, Building Back, Better! of Amsterdam’s desired outcomes against statistical
the goal for humanity is to remain within the sweet spot just allocation of existing resources to ensure we are snapshots of its current performance. The conclusions E
- the “safe and just space for humanity” where we can not moving beyond the ecological ceiling (outer-ring), “Within a democracy; it is our responsibility to hold our drawn are used as a starting point, to be used in N
thrive. The inner ring represents the social foundations causing climate and environmental degradation. government to accountable and to break the link insightful workshops aiming to bring about
of human wellbeing i.e. economic and social free-fall. between them and self-serving powerful interest that transformative action. V
Whilst the outer ring represents the ecological ceiling The Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) is commonly surrounds them, replace the power of money, with the I
of planetary pressure i.e. unsustainable impact on the used in environmental policy literature to illustrate the power of citizens”. - George Monbiot The Amsterdam Donut Coalition has developed a
environment. To fall short on any of the metrics, means trade-off between economic growth and environmental four-lens system, analysing the city from a social,
R
society is falling short on life essentials, such as food, quality. The EKC hypothesised as an inverted-U relation In practice, policymakers should be pursuing ecological, local and global perspective - referred to as O
education or housing (inner ring) and to overshoot is between growth and environmental degradation. sustainable growth strategies, compatible with the a “city portrait”. N
the creation of unacceptable environmental degradation Suggesting economic development is a precondition for parameters of the planet, or to lower the “turning
and potential tipping points in Earth systems like ocean environment conservation. During the early stages of
M
point” is extremely complex. For many governments,
acidification or biodiversity loss. growth, environmental damage is considerably higher. who are already influenced and heavily lobbied by E
As development accelerates, a ‘turning point’ is met “deep-pocketed” stakeholders (internal and external), N
Conceptually, the model is intuitive and simple to where there is an appreciation towards environmental it is difficult to introduce and commit to green
comprehend; yet practically is challenging to execute. protection, hence the reduction in environmental proposals, legislation and programmes.
T
The successful balancing between the twenty-one damage. Inherently the EKC hypothesis suggests
dimensions is the ultimate destination – the development prioritising development, and in due course “Post pandemic, we need to switch to a system of private
of a better, more socially-just and environmentally conservation will follow suit, although this is not a sufficiency and public luxury” - George Monbiot
responsible city or country. given.
While 2020 has been very unprecedented, and
Environmental Kuznets Curve While the EKC does hold some merit, there is concern the COVID-19 pandemic horrendous… there is a
that the so-called “turning point” arrives far later than silver-lining to every cloud. The pandemic has Considering Amsterdam’s current targets for the local
“It is possible to ‘grow out of’ some environmental necessary, causing irreversible ecological damage. proven the ‘unimaginable’, possible. For instance, lenses, the SDGs and global planetary boundaries; the
problems, but there is nothing automatic about doing The economy and environment should not be thought the government “shook their magic money tree” and coalition drew comparisons of Amsterdam’s desired
so. Action tends to be taken where there are generalised of as dichotomous concepts – owing to the leading miraculously found funding and housing to support the outcomes against statistical snapshots of its current
local costs and substantial private and social benefits”. limitation of the EKC - accounting for the importance of most disadvantaged members of society (homeless), performance. The conclusions drawn are used as a
- Shafik & Bandyopadhyay each concept in the advancement of the other. Hence, in an attempt to curb the virus. People have reformed starting point, to be used in insightful workshops aiming
the model’s usefulness is limited in the prospect of their way of living; from working conditions to to bring about transformative action.
27 The challenge of remaining on the doughnut revolves policy development as in an extreme perspective, it restricting international travel, and social gatherings. 28
more around the idea of equal distribution, rather would encourage omitting environment policies at If anything is clear, the 2020 pandemic has to be a “A wellbeing economy is about people feeling connected
than resource scarcity. As a discipline, traditional early stages as it would be counterproductive for tipping point. This has to be a point of transformation and in control.” - Katherine Trebeck
economics looks at society’s ability to allocate scarce growth. But rather, it should be understood that the where we move from one system, an exploitative
resources. Although, most developed nations use or are economy is embedded within and dependent upon political and economic system, to a completely Amsterdam initiative has the chance to inspire many
endowedwith enough resources to ensure citizens are society and the living world; this is the underlying different one which will be key to building back, more – from neighbourhoods, villages, towns, cities,
not left within the doughnut hole. teaching of Doughnut Economics. better. nations and regions. All to approach regenerative
development with a holistic approach, as they begin
to reimagine and remake their own futures. A little
The Doughnut in Action
closer to home, DEAL is working with CIVIC SQUARE
based in Birmingham to apply a further downscaled
“When a bird builds a nest in a tree, it takes care not to
doughnut at a neighbourhood scale. Exploring working
destroy the surrounding forest in the process”.
with residents, neighbours and a range of actors
- George Monbiot
across a neighbourhood to embedded doughnut
principles to support an equitable transition to more
Amsterdam is the first city to embrace and embed
regenerative places.
a scaleddown doughnut. Working with Doughnut
Economics Action Lab (DEAL), they are able to
incorporate the Doughnut framework into their
long-term and transformative policy vision. “How can
our city be a home to thriving people in a thriving
place, while respecting the wellbeing of all people
and the health of the whole planet?”.
The Amsterdam Donut Coalition has developed a
four-lens system, analysing the city from a social,
ecological, local and global perspective - referred to Written by: Samlia Miah
as a “city portrait”. Considering Amsterdam’s current Title: Writer, Amnick
targets for the local lenses, the SDGs and g lobal Designed by: Lena Privalenko
planetary boundaries; the coalition drew comparisonsBill Gates’ How-To Guide
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ill Gates and his wife Melinda are well known While Gates shines a favourably, optimistic light M
for their exceeding philanthropic ventures. on the climate crisis, he also emphasises that
Their eponymous Gates Foundation continues he is under no illusion that this is a situation
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to do immense work to improve health and tackle with a quick-fix, which makes his book a N
diseases prevalent in poverty-stricken countries. thought-provoking, practical and responsible read T
There is concern growing globally within our for all concerned with the climate crisis.
society. Vulnerability and the impact of climate
change on impoverished nations have resulted in How to Avoid a Climate Disaster: The Solutions
Gates’ taking action on the current climate solution We Have and the Breakthroughs We Need was
in his latest book, How to Avoid a Climate Disaster: released 16 February 2021.
The Solutions We Have and the Breakthroughs We
Need.
Written by: Eleanor Merry
The tech magnates’ expertise in energy and Written by:Title:
Elly Writer,
Merry Amnick
philanthropy creates a compelling exploration. Designed by: Stuart by:
Designed Kinnear
Stuart Kinnear
The importance of improving the resilience of both
rich and developing countries (in their response
29 to climate change) means that they will combat 30
future unavoidable consequences of the issue.
Gates’ strategy is to replace emission-driving
fossil fuels with renewable energy sources for
zero-carbon power. They rely on expert groups in
science, engineering and public policy to flesh out
the details.
Put simply, Gates’ intended strategy is to replace
emission-driving fossil fuels with renewable energy
sources for zero-carbon power with a reliance on
expert groups in science, engineering and pulic
policy to flesh out the details.
Gates focuses on five major emission-generating
processes: making things, plugging in, growing
things, keeping warm and cool and getting around.
Gates applies his zero-emissions by 2050 goal to
more developed countries such as the USA and
UK, which he stresses should be the first to take
action, with other countries following suit as soon
as reasonably possible.
How to Avoid a Climate Disaster is an accessible
dive into the issue of climate change and includes
advice on ways everyone can help - from political
leaders to members of the public.E
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31 Smart Cars: Some Heroes Come with Four Wheels not Capes 32
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elting ice, rising seas, extreme weather, At this point it is apparent that we do not have much Unlike traditional cars, electric cars consume earth warming has brought more investment
shifting rainfall, wildfires and diminishing time left if nothing changes. energy from batteries and can partially or into its development in recent years notably with
forests are some of the occurrences on the completely drive themselves. While they run on the advent of electric car manufacturer Tesla.
rise in recent years caused predominantly by the The UN Secretary General, Antònio Guterres, was lithium-ion batteries, these cars interact with users Traditional car manufacturers like BMW,
emission of carbon dioxide (CO2). According to right: “If we do not urgently change our life, we for destination instructions, journey preferences Volkswagen, Volvo, Mercedes Benz, etc., are
National Geographic, global average temperatures jeopardise life itself.” and communicate with other electric cars on the investing in the research and development of
have stayed fairly constant over that time—until road through the use of artificial intelligence. The electric cars to produce them in mass quantities
the past 150 years. Through the burning of fossil Today, car emissions are one of the leading causes environmental impact of smart cars is highlighted and at affordable prices.
fuels and other activities that have emitted large of global warming and environmental pollution. by the production of little or no harmful emissions
amounts of greenhouse gases to run our modern Cars emit carbon dioxide and other greenhouse to cause environmental pollution or damage Going forward, the advent of smart cars promises
lives (particularly over the past few decades), the gases in the atmosphere, which at normal levels to the ozone layer. While some smart cars are a lot of benefits, more than just environmental
greenhouse effect has been enhanced by humans. will keep some of the sun’s heat in the atmosphere powered partially by gasoline, completely electric sustainability. The smart car technology provides
and help warm Earth. However, these emissions cars release zero emissions to the atmosphere. the chance of a great decrease in the present large
This is the grotesque truth - more than 100 million from cars have exceeded environmentally friendly In addition, electric cars that run on gasoline carbon footprint with the possibility that all cars
people could return to extreme poverty by 2030, limits, to the extent of becoming a significant source consume enough to make them more fuel efficient of the future will run on batteries or have
climate change is also closely linked with increased of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. and environmentally friendly than traditional cars. energy-storing body panels in place of fuel or
incidence of dengue – a mosquito-borne disease This suggests that a significant number of electric diesel, while simultaneously capable of driving
whose transmissibility has increased significantly The idea of electric cars originated around 1832 cars on roads will reduce a substantial amount of themselves.
due to climate change since 1990. The direct by Robert Anderson but was not practical until the carbon emissions emitted into the atmosphere per
costs from damage to health (excluding costs in late 1870s. In recent times, Tesla pioneered the annum.
healthdetermining sectors such as agriculture, invention of electric sport cars emphasising fuel
Written by: Ponmile Lawal
water, and sanitation) could reach between $2 efficiency and environmental sustainability, paving Although the development of electric cars is still
Title: Writer, Amnick
billion and $4 billion per year by 2030. It gets gorier, way for extensive research and development of relatively novel compared to that of traditional
Designed by: Stuart Kinnear
too; these disasters result in over 60,000 deaths electric cars by other automakers. cars, the positive effect it promises in terms of
annually, mainly in developing countries. cleaner air to improve quality of life and reduceE
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33 34
News: Changes In Energy Importation And Creation For the future, the government intends to
create a 10-point plan for a green industrial
It seems the government is likely to stay on track
in regards to environmental and energy policy. As
Will Change Our Generation
revolution. From creating emission-free the trend of renewable energy usage is increasing,
vehicles and greener energy efficient buildings, in production as well as importation, we can see a
to advance offshore wind technologies and jet shift for better resources and greener energy in the
zero emission ships. These include improvements years to come.
C
in energy standard and creation; sticking to a
urrently, 44% of energy used throughout the From government statistics with regards to proposal of generating 40GW (gigawatts) by 2030
United Kingdom, is created through the use of energy resources, between July and September from offshore wind energy (1GW = 1 billion watts).
petroleum, a naturally occurring liquid found 2020 total energy production was recorded as
in algae, and 33% with natural gas. In relation to being 9% lower than the previous record in 2019, To put this into perspective, 1.21 gigawatts would
importation of gas, which represents 40.7% of and according to the same report, importation for power up to 10 million light bulbs. As a result
the gas used in 2018, it is estimated the amount any type of energy is lower than 19%. However, the of government policy, renewable energy usage
imported in 2019 was 290TWh (‘terawatt hour’), with demand for energy has lowered by only 13% with a Written by: Harley Nieslony
has risen by 40.2%, a significant increase from Written by: Harley Nieslony
the majority imported from pipelines in Norway. 6% widened gap between importation and demand. Title: Writer, Amnick
8.2% generated in the first quarter a decade ago. Designed by: Jonathan Oke
Designed by: Jonathan OkeYou can also read
